Title in progress
by Kazuya-chan
Summary: Yeah, so my muse left me. I'm gonna be thinking about what to call this story but if you have any ideas feel free to lay 'em on me. Story features Arabasta characters and OCs.
1. Don't be late

Well, here I am again. I didn't get to say thanks to the ones that reviewed my last story, so I'll say thanks now: THANK YOU ALL:D

"blah blah" --- talking, dialogue  
"_blah blah"_ --- thinking, reading something

**disclaimer:** Don't own One Piece.

**Chapter 1: Don't be late**

The sun was glimmering over the busy city. Everyone was going about their business: buyers looking for different items to purchase and merchants doing their best to impress people so they would buy their goods, visitors asking where the nearest inn/cantina was or just passers-by.

A few miles away from the city was a very large building made of solid rock, surrounded by large stone walls. On the gate was a sign reading "PRISON". Said gates opened and a pair of horses – one was white with a black spot on its forehead, black mane and tail and the other was completely white – entered the courtyard. When they arrived in front of the building door, the riders dismounted: a red haired woman wearing a purple blouse with long sleeves, purple skirt that reached mid-thigh, turquoise gloves and ornamental cloth she wore over her skirt and yellow boots that were a little below her knees; the other rider was a dark haired woman, slightly taller that the other, wearing a light green blouse with dark green long sleeves, light green gloves and skirt that reached mid-thigh and she also had yellow boots. Both women had swords hanging at their sides (the red haired woman on her right and the dark haired woman on her left). Another thing they had in common was that they each wore a necklace signifying their loyalty to a god: the red haired woman had a talisman in the shape of an ankh and the dark haired woman had a round talisman with three drops of gold on it, forming a dog paw.

As soon as they dismounted, a guard came to greet them and took them to the man they wanted to talk to – the warden.

"Ain-sama, Shandra-sama, welcome!" said the warden, a brown haired, middle aged man of medium build.

"Good day to you, warden. How are things going?" asked the dark haired woman, Shandra.

"Relatively well. We just received a new one this morning: apparently he tried to rob an inn. Honestly, people have no shame anymore!" replied the warden shaking his head.

"At least you get to earn your living." said the red haired woman, Ain, smiling.

"It's a tough job, but someone has to do it, right?" replied the warden and the three started laughing.

After about an hour of routine business the two women were outside the building, getting ready to leave. Shandra got onto her horse - the completely white one.

"What's wrong, Ain?" she asked her companion, seeing she didn't get on her own horse.

"You go back to the Palace. I still have to patrol around the east coast." she replied. "You can take my horse too. I'll fly back."

"Suit yourself. Remember that the queen wants to talk to us this evening."

"I'll be back before the afternoon."

"Better make that noon." the dark haired woman said smiling.

"Just go. If I stay and talk a little longer I'll end up coming back to the Palace with you, Shandra." Ain replied smiling too.

"All right. Just don't be late." And she was off.

"I won't."

Ain turned around, put her hands on her talisman, closed her eyes and as a gust of wind blew past her, a pair of large brown wings appeared on her back and her head turned into that of and hawk's. She took to the air and went east.

The heat got worse but the fact that Ain was at the coast made her endure it. The cool breeze of the ocean was a god send. She looked towards the sun as much as she could and assumed it was two or three hours past noon at the most. Ain couldn't help but smile.

"_Looks like I was right again, Shandra. Time to go back."_

She then felt great pain in her left wing and she started to fall. She desperately tried to cushion her fall, which she succeeded a little bit, but just a bit. Upon hitting the ground she couldn't move for a few seconds but after that she slowly started to get up. Suddenly a stinging pain struck her in the back and after a quarter of a second she fell back down, unconscious.

"Did you get her?" a hushed voice was heard.

"No, you idiot, she got away!" a sarcastic tone followed.

Two men exited a cave and started walking toward Ain. One of them had a rifle in his right hand and a pistol at his belt.

"You didn't kill her, did you, Mihal?" asked the unarmed one, a worried look on his face.

"No, Ian, I didn't." replied the other, taking a dart from Ain's back. "If I did, Atsu-san wouldn't be happy."

"What do we do with her now?"

The one called Mihal eyed an old boat that was on the shore. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The other one, Ian, looked at it as well. "If you're thinking of putting her in that boat and letting her drift in the Grand Line, I guess I am thinking what you're thinking."

"Good. Now let's make sure she'll sleep a few good hours." He takes out another dart from his belt and thrusts it in Ain's shoulder then throws it away. "Now help me put her in the boat, Ian."

They put Ain in the boat and pushed it into the sea, letting it drift aimlessly in the Grand Line.

"You know it's a shame, Ian. She was beautiful."

"Why did Atsu-san say not to kill her?"

"He said he wants her to die a slow death. He wants her to suffer; just like the queen will." Mihal replied.

"What about the other one?"

"Who? Shandra? Atsu-san said he'll take care of everything from now on. Come on. I wanna get our money, Ian. Don't you?"

"Need you ask?"

And they both left.

A/N: I don't know if you understood too much of this so I'll try to get the next chapter up within the next three days. Also I got some drawings of the characters; I just need to find a way to get them in my computer.

Ja ne!


	2. The Absence and the Find

**disclaimer**: don't own One Piece; never have, never will.

I said I have some drawings for my OCs but I can't put the links up (they don't show). I'll try to find a solution for this.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 2: The Absence and the Find  
**

Night fell and there wasn't much activity in the Palace anymore. In the throne room there were three people and they seemed to be waiting for someone.

"Is she back yet?" a woman dressed in red asked.

"No, your Highness. I don't know what could have happened." replied Shandra.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry but we can't wait anymore. You said you had something important to tell us." a dark haired man, of medium build said. He seemed to be the queen's advisor.

"Atsu-san is right. When Ain comes back, I'll inform you, Kara-sama."

"All right, Shandra. What I have to tell you is that I have been corresponding with Nefertari Cobra, the king of Arabasta, concerning a possible alliance. We have been correponding for a while now, discussing the benefits our two countries will have through this alliance."

"My queen, why haven't you told us before? Or me, at least? I am your advisor, aren't I?" Atsu asked, trying not to sound disrespectful.

"If, for any reson, the alliance wouldn't have been such a good idea after exchanging a few letters, everyone would have been dissapointed. However, Arabasta has a lot to offer us and we have a lot to offer in exchange. Also, this is the perfect time to create an alliance. After what Arabasta has been through with the bussiness with Crocodile, helping them rebuild their country could make this alliance very strong from the beginning." the queen passionately stated.

"You are right, my queen." agreed Shandra.

"So, does this mean you two are for this alliance?"

"I am. " said Shandra.

"I am your advisor and I completly trust your judgement." said Atsu, bowing slightly.

"Thank you both. Now, Shandra, I want you to go to the last place you and Ain were together and see if you can find any trace of her. When you return come to my quarters and tell me what you found." ordered the queen.

"Hai, Kara-sama."

"That is all. You are both dismissed."

And the three of them left the throne room.

Hours later there was a knock on a door.

"Come in."

"My queen, I have returned." announced Shandra.

"Have you found anything?"

"I'm afraid I haven't. Ain said she was heading to patrol the eastern coast, so I went there. But I couldn't find anything. If there were any clues, they might have been covered up because of the wind. I just don't know what could have happened!" stated Shandra, very worried.

"All right, Shandra. Thank you. You can go."

Shandra bowed and then left.

Kara went to her window, crossed her arms and looked over the quiet city of Eureos, the capital of Euphaia. _"Where are you, Ain?"_ she thought.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The training hall was filled with the sound of clashing swords. Althought there were only two sparring parteners, the hits were heard one after the other. They stopped for a few seconds to regain their breath, after which they continued.

About two hours later, the two sparring parteners were walking through the halls of the Royal Palace.

"It's good to have time to spar once-in-a-while."

"That's right. After the bussiness with Crocodile, the entire country's been like a bee hive." They both smiled before they turned around to meet the guard that was rushing towards them.

"Chaka-sama! Pell-sama! There's an urgent call on the Den Den Mushi from the eastern harbour!" he said between breaths.

Immediately they rushed to the milliary quarters, where the Den Den Mushi was.

"Moshi moshi? What's the matter?"

"Chaka-sama, we just brought in a boat that was drifting in the sea. There's a woman in it and she's wounded. Can you send a doctor?"

"It's a four-hour journey to the harbour. Pell, how fast can you go there and be back?"

"In less that two."

"Good. Listen, Pell is coming to take the woman and bring her back here." said Chaka to the soldier on the other side of the Den Den Mushi.

"Understood, sir." and both he and Chaka hung up.

Forty five minutes passed since the Den Den Mushi call and Pell arrived at the eastern harbour.

"Pell-sama, the boat is this way. We haven't moved the woman." said a soldier leading Pell to the boat.

When they arrived, Pell was more than surprised. The woman in the boat had wings and a good part of the left one was covered in dry blood. He gently picked her in his arms, changed into his half human/half falcon transformation and flew back to the capital.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know last chapter I said I'll try and put this one up in three days; but they turned into three months. I'm so sorry for taking so long to update. Having writer's block from the second chapter... that's gotta be bad.

Ja ne!


End file.
